MIPS

As healthcare mergers and acquisitions continue at an alarming rate, it may come as no surprise that Aetna has a major corporation interested in buying them. However, which company that is comes as a shock to many.

What are the MACRA challenges for hospitals this year? MACRA is the title given to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) set forth by CMS in 2015. Because MACRA officially went into effect in January of 2017, now is a good time to see what’s working in the program and what’s not. Let’s review these MACRA challenges and the proposed rule intended to address some of these issues.

Is the MIPS program from CMS what providers need for smart Medicare payments and rewards? Not all of the healthcare stakeholders, including hospitals, physicians and related groups, are happy with current MIPS Quality Payment Program rules, though some see the changes proposed for the next couple of years as positive.

The Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA) legislation officially began its implementation on January 1, 2017. We are now a few months into the roll-out, and significant provider participation challenges are coming to the surface. We review these hurdles and what actions can be taken to improve physician participation in MACRA.

How will the carrot and stick associated with MACRA play out in the year ahead? It will require more attention, but a new study shows many healthcare providers aren’t ready. When it comes to MACRA, MIPS and Revenue Cycle Managers, 2017 is an important year with a range of new incentives and penalties at stake.